The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-08-03
Responsibility of Mothers.

Gently of the responsibility of mothers,
particularly of young mothers, who are
hardly old enough to understand how to
care for themselves and much less can
fully realize what is needful for an in
fant's welfare, as far as the body is
concerned, and still less about what is
necessary for the culture of the soul.
The more we strive to elevate our
thoughts before their birth the better
we shall be satisfied with their mental
capacity. Our children have need of
instruction very early in life about their
souls, and with every act of the mother
should be added the thought that she
has an immortal to to deal with-a soul
placed in her keeping to train religiously
for the present life and for the life to
come. Before our young girls have
really learned the solemnity of living
they become mothers, and are usually
untitled to bring up child in the way
in which it should 60. Ere they real
ize one-half of the pitfalls that lie in
their own pathway they have children
to care for. Poor young women, pity
them, but the children born of such in
experience are more to be pitied. I'm
less God makes them his special care
their future gives but little promise for
good. Could we all feel as keenly
sense of this responsibility as did Mar
garet Fuller Ossili, we would train our
children very differently, or at least
make strenuous effort to do so. The
first entry in her journal after the birth
of her son was this: g am the mother
of an immortal being. God be merci-
full to me sinner" Her mental ca
pacities were far superior to those of
ordinary women, but we can all at least
look on and admire such wonder
full realization of human responsibility
towards the little ones whom God gives
us, and thus strive to the uttermost to
assist in elevating the moral atmos-
phere of our own children, trusting that
their influence for good will be felt by
others. 1t is a constant study to find
what is best for them as they pass step
by step on towards manhood and
womanhood. If their minds are led
to grasp the necessary bits of knowl-
edge and they are taught little by little
how to use their brains and hands in the
best possible way, they will learn i'm
perceptibly something about nearly
every object which their eager eyes rest
upon. Discipline their mind as con-
stantly as possible, beginning as early
as seems practicable. Our children are
old enough to be disciplined in a mild
manner as soon as they begin to take
notice of different objects and do little
things which are not right. / once knew
mother who was person of more
than ordinary brightness. AT the time
of the birth of her second child lady
who was with her, upon taking the
child, remarked, Another little immor
tai to care for;" when the mother said
had never thought of it in thai
light" There she had passed those
months of waiting and had never given
the immortality of the child a single
thought Poor woman! She had los
more than she could realize by not
thinking of the goodness of God il
sending her such gift.
A time that is often productive o.
much evil is while the teeth are
troubling the child. 1t is generally
understood that large proportion o
those children who die under two year,
of age are cut off by the consequence
of teething. In producing teeth natur,
seems to have differed from her usua
method in the formation of the body
which is without pain. However
though the growth of the teeth may b.
productive of some pain and Sigh
fever, if the children have good consti
tutions and are seldom i'll it is possibl
for them to pass the period with com
parative ease. The nervous system be
ing in an irritable condition, and tn
infammatory state of the gums, on &C
count Of the coming teeth, is not to b
wondered at, but these may both b
greatly increased by an improper diet
If we give them food which require
time and strength to assimilate, an
thus tax the system more than is right
it will increase the fever, and a lac
of proper exercise will add fuel I
the fire. One of the most essentii
things to be looked after is the bowels
Keep them in as natural a condition a
possible. Constipation will increas
the fever, and consequently the suffer
ing If a good state of the bowels ca
be obtained in no other way, give Iii
tie powdered magnesia every mornin
in the food. Usually the Lactated Foo
is all that is necessary. Rubbing tn
gums with strained honey, in which
very little paragoric has been mixed
often quiets the pain and removes tn